Like many New Jersey construction workers, you may come into daily contact with stationary machines such as saws, routers, planers, lathes, grinders and presses. What you may not have realized is how often these machines cause finger amputation, costing an employee his ability to earn a living and even perform many daily tasks on his own.

Loss of a finger in New Jersey construction workers can happen for any number of reasons, including:

Unguarded machines. Many workers have suffered serious injuries as a result of an employer’s failure to install point-of-operation guards on all mechanical devices.

Conveyor belt injuries. Fingers, gloves and clothing are easily caught when feeding or clearing jams on a conveyor belt system.

Lack of fall protection. In some cases, workers building above the stationary machines fell into or onto them, severing limbs or suffering fatal consequences as a result.

Lack of safety training. Not only does OSHA require machines to be equipped with safety measures, they also require employers to properly educate employees on all safety procedures. An employer may be liable for failing to ensure employees lock-out equipment before maintenance, failure to conduct regular machine inspections, and failure to adequately warn employees of machine risks with a written hazard communication program.

If you have suffered a construction injury in New Jersey, you will likely face months or years of recuperation, during which you will be unable to earn your regular living. Manfred F. Ricciardelli, Jr., is an experienced Morristown construction accident lawyer who can answer your legal questions and will charge you nothing unless he wins your case. Call (877) 360-0183 today to get started on your FREE consultation.